Jordan Spieth won his first professional tournament last year in the USA and won his second in Australia in 2014.

The young man, who came to the golfing world officially at age 16 at the Nelson in 2010, said a low round on Sunday couldn’t be done, and then he went out and did it in American style, shooting a course record 8-under 63. Lone American amongst the top 15 golfers teeing off at The Australian Golf Club in the National Open of a great golfing island continent country, he birdied the second, then three in a row starting at No. 5 and then sprinted to the title birdieing four of the last five holes and winning by six strokes. Brett Rumford, tied with Spieth and Greg Chalmers to start the final round, matched those three consecutive birdies but could not keep up the pace to the clubhouse and shot a 70 to finish solo third. Chalmers started with a birdie and had two others that were negated with three bogeys. The lefty shot 71 and finished  in fourth place. Rod Pampling birdied five of the last six to shoot 68 and finish in solo second place.  Adam Scott double bogeyed the par-5 fifth that ignited Spieth, shot 71 and finished fifth. A good consolation prize for Pampling, Chalmers and Rumford was qualifying for the 2015 Open at St. Andrews in the first of 14 such events in nine countries on five continents.

Part of Team Jordan, caddie Michael Greller and his wife Ellie react to the heartfelt win during the Awards Ceremony.

This was Jordan Spieth’s first trip ‘Down Under’ to Australia and he enjoyed every moment of it on and off the golf course. I feel the same way on Day No. 32 of the ‘Golf Journey to Australia.’ A comment made by Troy Grant, the Deputy Premier Minister for Tourism, in the Awards Ceremony on the 18th green, that Jordan is a “credit to golf and a credit to his country,” inspired me to ask the following question in the champions’ interview:

Q.   Jordan, it seems like yesterday you were 16 and you kind of came out to the golfing world as a nelson. Can you talk a little bit about the progression to today and winning the national championship of such a prestigious golfing nation, and what it means to you to hear the deputy premier minister for tourism say you’re a credit to golf and a credit to
your country?

JORDAN SPIETH: That took me back. I was as close to tearing up as I got out there. Those words are words, you don’t necessarily expect to hear them and when you hear them it’s a tremendous honour and one that carries weight. I certainly need to conduct myself for me and my family, my country, the team, whatever. So that was really nice of him.

Jordan with the winner’s check. It’s all about the win and being the best he can be for this impressive young man.

Yeah, since I was 16, that first professional experience as an amateur was what put belief in my head that this is what I could do for a living and that I wanted to be the number one player in the world some day. It was that week that I really knew that it was possible if I really stayed at it and worked hard, having that opportunity. So since then still had some junior events, through college golf, University of Texas, winning a national championship there. Each year there were certain goals that I wanted to achieve and wanted to get better each year, and that was the goal.

Each year had something that was a little better than the last and I felt like I was better as a golfer, better mentally and with my skill set, and this year I believed it was an improvement on last year but without a win, which was a goal of mine, to have a win in 2014 and I only had two events left. So to finally accomplish it now, this is the peak of where I’ve ever been as a golfer and it’s really cool and hopefully we work to climb more higher peaks.

Seeing Jordan win and win in such a convincing fashion was beautiful and made me proud to be an American. What a week it has been at the Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney.

Andy Reistetter Reporting from Down Under. Well Done Andy Boy   (Facebook Post 1 Pic, Jeffrey ‘Frosty Rothstein, 11/30/14)

WOW, what a Sunday at the Emirates Australian Open…   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/30.14)

Here are some other highlights of the day:

Meeting Peter Thomson, the Australian Golfing Legend and 5-time Open Champion was a thrill!

With Wayne, Chris & Vanessa of the Seven Sport Network team broadcasting the Australian Open.

In the Seven production truck with producers John Evans (L) and Chris Jones (R). Everything the same except, of course, the camera switchboard was on the left!

I was back visiting with the Australian Golf Heritage Society folks, of course…

Kathie Shearer runs a heck of a media center and quite an efficient Awards Ceremony!

WOW, what a week at the 2014 Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney!

Rory getting ready to tee off in the last group on Saturday. The galleries were large and I like the British Open like high rise seating!

Saturday, with a tricky and difficult Australian Nor’easter wind , turned out to be ‘Stay Where You Are, If You Are Lucky’ day at the 88th rendition of the historic Australian Open. Greg Chalmers, the Round 2 leader, did just that posting an even par 71 after a bogey-bogey start to hold on to a share of the lead at 5-under par with fellow Australian Brett Rumford and American Jordan Spieth, both shooting 2-under 69.

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy came unraveled with a triple bogey on the 9th hole from the high grass above the green right and followed it with a sloppy double bogey at the 10th to fall out of contention. Being six strokes back with thirteen to pass, it is unlikely the Northern Irishman can win in his last round of the year.

An added incentive on Sunday at the Australian Open, Top 3 golfers, not otherwise exempted, earn a spot in the 2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews, Scotland.

The magic stay-put number on Saturday was 69 and Adam Scott achieved it by offsetting a lone bogey with three birdies. Rod Pamphling’s route to a 69 was dunking his approach shot on the par-4 10th for a heroic eagle 2. Both are tied for 4th one stroke back. Out of the final twelve golfers teeing off on Saturday only four, Rory and his playing partner Adam Crawford who shot 76 and Geoff Drakeford and Conrad Shindler who both shot 81 in the wind, fell out of the top echelon at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Australian Golf Club. Daniel Nisbet, out in the first pairing, 3-1/2 hours before the leaders teed off shot the day’s best round of 67 and moved from last place to T9, five strokes back of Chalmers, Rumsford & Jordan. Staurday was definitiely ‘Stay Where You Are, If You Are Lucky’ day at the 2014 Australian Open.

Can lone American in a sea of Aussies win the Emirates Australian Open?   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/29/14)

Saturday was still moving day for me around the grounds of The Australian Golf Club. Here are some of my wanderings:

British Open style announcing on the first tee with the dapperly dressed Tony Gresham.

Thinking of playing SpeedGolf after being inspired by SpeedGolf Australia founder Virginia Deigan.

Hot ticket for for the Saturday night Australian Golf Writers Annual Dinner.